Study Shows Why Some People Avoid Going Online

A new study has revealed why some people have no interest in using the Internet. Findings indicate that age, education, and income all play a major role in determining if one has plans to go online or not.

In this day and age, most people use the Internet, whether it’s to check stock options, find out who won the big game, or post an enlightening blog entry. But many of us know at least a few folks who have expressed little to no interest in going online.

So, what’s the beef?

According to a study from analyst group Pew, about half (48 per cent) of Internet non-users say they just don’t have any interest in going online. Others said they don’t own a computer, find getting online way too expensive, don’t have the patience for figuring out how to get on the web, or simply find using the Internet a big waste of time.

Interestingly, Pew’s study revealed that many of those people who expressed no interest in using the Internet have never actually gone online. Many of these people also reported that no one in their household used the Internet, suggesting there’s a great deal of ignorance behind the decision to avoid using the web.

Supporting this position is Pew’s finding that about three in five people who don’t use the Internet failed to finish high school.

Pew also found that, although they’re going online more than ever before, many seniors (about three in five) do not use the Internet.

It’s also a huge financial issue for some, as Pew’s report shows that about two in five people who avoid the Internet have an annual household income under $30,000. Pew adds in its report that people with a household income of less than $20,000 are even less likely to go online.

Pew’s report also reveals that the ongoing economic recession may be preventing people from accessing the Internet. It would appear that the number of U.S. households with a broadband (high speed Internet) connection has actually decreased from 66 per cent in May 2010 to 62 per cent as of August 2011.

Still, the general trend in the United States is towards greater Internet usage. Pew’s study revealed that in the past decade-and-a-half the number of adult Americans who use the Internet has gone from 1 in10 to 4 in 5.